Cars twith features that you dislike?
06-13-11, 02:04 PM
#31
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do any cars come with glass covers? I know that at least on the w204 C class, the fog lights have glass covers and owners are constantly complaining that they have a shattered fog light because of road debris. If the headlight covers were made of glass, I dont see that fairing very well
06-13-11, 02:18 PM
#32
The seat belt chime, though a safety measure, becomes more of an annoyance than anything, even if it serves its purpose. The foot e-brake was one that I, too, wish was in the middle and accessible with my hand. I mean, I'm not gonna go "rip that e-brake" like in Tokyo Drift or anything, but I've always been used to it as a lever for my hand rather than something I had to stomp on. I really hate the red glow from the gauge cluster in my sister's Corolla S. It just makes me drowsy, as opposed to the white that can make driving, especially at night, more soothing for the eyes. The cupholder in the center console behind the shifter in my IS is really pointless if you want to shift instead of having to use the paddle shifters. Also, when tinting, that small oval/triangle shaped "window" that can easily be counted as part of one main rear window. And the third brake light in the field of vision when looking from behind. I like the way the LS has it setup- unobtrusive when driving but serving its purpose well.
Some things that I wish were included in the IS before I purchased it:
-automatic rear shade (more so to decrease the output of those damn blinding headlights from behind)
-reclining rear seat (just to give the rear passengers an extra touch of comfort on long rides)
Some things that I wish were included in the IS before I purchased it:
-automatic rear shade (more so to decrease the output of those damn blinding headlights from behind)
-reclining rear seat (just to give the rear passengers an extra touch of comfort on long rides)
06-13-11, 08:21 PM
#34
Lexus Champion
Perhaps the best examples of this (or should I say worst?) were the Oldsmobile 88/98/Toronado of the 1990s (though some big similiar Buicks of the time were almost as confusing inside). I believe to this day that it was a major factor in the downfall of the Olds division. Olds finally realized their mistake and started doing easier-to-use controls again, but by then, much of the damage had already been done.....IMO, they waited too long.
This from the 1993 Olds 98: I remember being at the D.C. auto show that year and remarking to the Olds people there what a POS of a design all those buttons were, and how they looked at me like I was nuts. I said that if that type of dash continued, Olds wouldn't be around much longer. The rest is history.
This from the 1993 Olds 98: I remember being at the D.C. auto show that year and remarking to the Olds people there what a POS of a design all those buttons were, and how they looked at me like I was nuts. I said that if that type of dash continued, Olds wouldn't be around much longer. The rest is history.
In the 1990s, Ford's radio head units had all buttons, including the volume control, but I notice that Ford has since switched back to volume *****.
GM has started with the new "feature" for their cars...I know the Jeeps and others have this.
When the owner of the car unlocks the car, it turns on some of the vehicle's exterior lights...including those white lights on the back of the car...that apparently the idiots at GM don't realize indicate on all OTHER cars that the car is in REVERSE!!!
So, you're in a parking garage and, all of a sudden, a car in front of you has it's lights come on...parking lights in the rear, and the white back-up lights. No brake lights.
What does that indicate to you?
It tells me that the car is running, with a driver behind the wheel, the car is in reverse, the driver's foot is off the brake, and the car is backing out of the space.
Nope. The car isn't even running...and the owner is putting groceries in the back seat!
Who the heck are they to decide that "Hey, let's change what these lights mean!"?
I swear I think every engineer in Detroit takes the bus to work and has simply never driven a car before. Morons...every single one of them.
When the owner of the car unlocks the car, it turns on some of the vehicle's exterior lights...including those white lights on the back of the car...that apparently the idiots at GM don't realize indicate on all OTHER cars that the car is in REVERSE!!!
So, you're in a parking garage and, all of a sudden, a car in front of you has it's lights come on...parking lights in the rear, and the white back-up lights. No brake lights.
What does that indicate to you?
It tells me that the car is running, with a driver behind the wheel, the car is in reverse, the driver's foot is off the brake, and the car is backing out of the space.
Nope. The car isn't even running...and the owner is putting groceries in the back seat!
Who the heck are they to decide that "Hey, let's change what these lights mean!"?
I swear I think every engineer in Detroit takes the bus to work and has simply never driven a car before. Morons...every single one of them.
Something else coming from Detroit (namely GM) that I do not like are the very fat A-pillars. They are dangerous when waiting on a red light to enter an intersection, blocking views of pedestrians.
I also do not like high beltlines that make you have to peer over the instrument panel or through a small gunslit of a back window. It makes the car more difficult to handle (even if it is psychological) because it is that much more difficult to judge the edges of the car; the car seems bigger than it is. This "feature" made our 2007 Camry seem much bigger than it is. My wife (a Honda fan) thought the current Honda Accord was a smaller car than the current Camry (even though she has never driven the Accord) because the Camry seemed so overly huge and ungainly from the driver's seat.
06-13-11, 10:43 PM
#35
Lexus Test Driver
That olds dash was pretty bad. Got a good laugh at that pic. However, I think the earlier 80's Toronado was even worse. It was similar to the one above, but all the buttons were clustered in a square to the right. I think the luxury option had a touch screen there in place of the buttons, which also got bad reviews. Poor GM... they tried.
06-14-11, 08:11 AM
#38
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I think my two biggest peeves are to many buttons and GM cars that when you unlock the car the reverse lights come on and you stop and think they're backing out but really walking up to the car. Who thinks of that?
06-14-11, 09:32 AM
#39
do any cars come with glass covers? I know that at least on the w204 C class, the fog lights have glass covers and owners are constantly complaining that they have a shattered fog light because of road debris. If the headlight covers were made of glass, I dont see that fairing very well
06-14-11, 09:58 AM
#40
Lexus Test Driver
1. Doors that lock automatically when the car is running or in motion
2. The feature on my friend's Santa Fe that requires you to stick some plastic thingy in a slot before starting it as a security feature(very annoying).
3. power sliding door on our 99 Toyota Sienna.
4. Plastic door handles that break
5. Plastic covers in the engine compartment
6. The automotive industry's general tendency to take something that works fine and 'fix' it, thus making it worse than before.
7. The sunroof on our Sienna that doesn't stop when it shuts, but instead starts to tilt open. Makes it hard to get it exactly in the shut position.
2. The feature on my friend's Santa Fe that requires you to stick some plastic thingy in a slot before starting it as a security feature(very annoying).
3. power sliding door on our 99 Toyota Sienna.
4. Plastic door handles that break
5. Plastic covers in the engine compartment
6. The automotive industry's general tendency to take something that works fine and 'fix' it, thus making it worse than before.
7. The sunroof on our Sienna that doesn't stop when it shuts, but instead starts to tilt open. Makes it hard to get it exactly in the shut position.
06-14-11, 12:01 PM
#41
Lexus Fanatic
06-14-11, 12:22 PM
#42
That picture does not inspire a lot of confidence about seeing them behind the wheel of an automobile.
If it's something you need a constant reminder of, then it's probably time to think about retiring the license. Actually I think anyone over 75 should be road tested annually.Hoever, it's still annoying to sit there and hear:
Click
Click
Click
Click
Click
for a full two minutes at every stop light. Altimas SUCK for that very reason in my book. I can't think of what other model that I've been in recently where it's that loud.
06-14-11, 12:47 PM
#44
Stiff rides.
Wind/road noise.
Underhood components hidden with covers instead of exposed.
Cheap plastic interior materials.
Manual hood prop-rods.
Lack of a real traditional spare tire.
Lack of body-side mouldings.
Humpback-whale rooflines.
Aero/Jelly-bean body-styling.
Dull or ugly paint colors.
Squeaks/rattles.
Tinny-closing doors.
Unreliability.
I-Drive/MMI-type dash/video controllers.
Overly-complex dash controls.
Low ground clearance.
Digital instruments instead of analog.
Center-dash gauges instead of behind the steering-wheel where they belong.
Wind/road noise.
Underhood components hidden with covers instead of exposed.
Cheap plastic interior materials.
Manual hood prop-rods.
Lack of a real traditional spare tire.
Lack of body-side mouldings.
Humpback-whale rooflines.
Aero/Jelly-bean body-styling.
Dull or ugly paint colors.
Squeaks/rattles.
Tinny-closing doors.
Unreliability.
I-Drive/MMI-type dash/video controllers.
Overly-complex dash controls.
Low ground clearance.
Digital instruments instead of analog.
Center-dash gauges instead of behind the steering-wheel where they belong.
